Garibaldi's Wars of Liberation 28mm range coming soon from Gringo40s

[gringo]

Cheers Helen....your support is vital!! Viva Italia!!

best regards
Ged
www.gringo40s.com

[gringo]

a rare sketch of a rather well dressed picciotto chap a la cloak!

regards
Ged
www.gringo40s.com
www.gringo40s.blogspot.com

[Emir of Askaristan]

Excellent sketch.
Can't see him holding onto either those boots or his cape for long if he isn't armed though....!

[gringo]

the stiletto is behind his back don't you know after all they
were the original Cosa Nostra!!

more Picciotto en route

regards
Ged
www.gringo40s.com
www.gringo40s.blogspot.com

[italwars]

It's amusing that you all British with a little bit exagerated romantic attitude toward our Risorgimento ..war..or better "fake" war..how you see, among other things, those Picciotti's populace armed peasants as something similar a fighting man...In reality they acted more or less like native tribesmen eager to side, at first oppotunity, with the winner...and only once the foghting was over...for those who read deeply about the subject also trough Garibaldini memoirs and other observers it appears..that those cut trhoats had a military value pracatically nil...and it emerged, from the whole of their history, that they don't care a bit o a united Italy (neither do i) and certainly not more than their Island, their goats, their donkeys, their oranges and their salted cheese....sincerly i can only agree with them 
said that , from a wargame point of view, as their costume is similar to those of many southern paysants..they could be used with great  effect to represent South Italian Guerillas that fought with ferocity comparable to Spanish guerillas (in fact the Sout of Italy had and still has Spanish Cultural traditions) vs the Revolutionary French and then VS Napoleon/Murat Imperial Armies in many skirmishes and pitched battles..sometime supported by regular troops including British regulars, émigrés, Sicilians Bourbons and Royal Navy Landing parties and Royal Marines...the aspect and armaments were  practically the same

[Emir of Askaristan]

We British are all misty eyed, but then we were in 1860 as well, otherwise Himself might not have even got ashore.

As for the Picciotti I know fine well they were a bunch of scheming rogues who got close enough to say they took part and so claim some spoils, but made sure that had the Redshirts been defeated they would have been the first ones to head back to the hills to hide their weapons and claim they'd been nowhere near any battle, no sir, not me sir....

The collapse of the Bourbons in the south meant there was no one to keep these brigands in check. Like any peasant people their first loyalty was to themselves and you're right they have much in common with Spanish guerillas, not to say 18thC Croats, Miqueletes and closer to home here, the Scots and Irish clans of preceeding centuries.

Of course that doesn't make them any less fun to play with! I fully plan to get mine involved in skirmish games with French and Papal troops...eventually! 

[gringo]

italwar

good to hear your point of view and I agree not all of Italy was happy to be united
seemingly forced on certain regions.the period has fascinated me for years after
visits to the San Martino museum in Naples quite a few times researching Murat and his Neapolitan Army ..and in the background the Giant of a political man
Garibaldi ...so years of planning and bang a range was born,,,for a little known war in the UK its suprising the amount of books available on the subject including
some fantastic Italian ones Cenni et all..and the collection grows as does the interest.2016 will be a high water mark for this range as I will pour al my efforts into producing an interesting range . all support especially LAF buddies is very essential................
regards
Ged
www.gringo40s.com
www.gringo40s.blogspot.com

[italwars]

[

Of course that doesn't make them any less fun to play with! I fully plan to get mine involved in skirmish games with French and Papal troops...eventually! 
[/quote]

Yes Amir it could be interesting to use irregulars VS regular troops also in this period and country...maybe my tastes are always influenced for my love of Colonials wars...or assymetric wars  ....anyway consider that spontaneous peasant groups never fought VS Papal troops and neither VS Bourbons...while the opposite is always true..after Risorgimento a far long and bloody kind of Civil War took place in the new Italy...those so called Briganti (Bandits) rebelled Vs Piedomontese occupation troops ..requiring the newly borned  Kindom of Italy to use far more troops and resources than the Risorgimento....from 1960 up to 1870 something like 120.00 men sent fighting countless skirmishes and battles with 8.000 regulars loosing their life and about from 20.000 to 50.000 victims among Briganti and above all civlians.  the causlaties sustained during this period and the violence of the fights make it look Garibaldi Campaign in the South something more similar at a brawl between Milwall and West Ham supporters than a war...or worst  A.S. Roma ones 
Also for this less known teather of war...Irregular type minis like Piciotti can be used for Briganti and fielded VS Piedmontese Dragoons, Infantry and preferably Bersaglieri light Infantry ..posted in every South of Italy garrison..
http://www.libreriabottigella.it/16037-thickbox_default/combattimento-tra-dragoni-del-papa-e-briganti.jpg

http://digilander.libero.it/fiammecremisi/images/tools/brigante1.jpg


also in post Neapolitan  Sicily..(Bronte) the Red Shirts "liberators" used their muskets VS populace and rebels (and as you can see in the pict Picciotti) to enforce freedom
http://www.siciliafan.it/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/01156.jpg

[italwars]

some further use for Gringo forthcoming Picciotti or other Risorgimento irregulars..sorri i did'nt manage to let appear the images directly on the post..

Piedmontese regular cavalry VS rebels:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Brigantaggio_lancieri_montebello_in_capitanata_1861_1863.jpg/300px-Brigantaggio_lancieri_montebello_in_capitanata_1861_1863.jpg

fight for a bridge

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yF3O9j3oxgg/U9Tgoi-iSFI/AAAAAAAABWY/atKYBllWBfs/s1600/image5.jpg


Ferasome anti Unitarian Southern Rebel types
http://www.comunedipignataro.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/briganti-680x365_c.jpg

Bersaglieri and his liberated compatriot
http://www.ilportaledelsud.org/images/storia/briganti1picc.jpg

[Emir of Askaristan]

Some excellent material there ...probably given Ged some ideas too perhaps.

Thanks for posting. Were there any notable Brigand leaders or characters?

[malto cortese]

I beg to disagree with my fellow countryman Italwars about his attitude on the Risorgimento and the unification of the country. While fully aware that the rosy and apologetic picture we learned in our schoolbooks was distorted, and that there was no popular surge to unify the country, the revisionist version that has become popular in the last twenty years or so - and that unfortunately he seems to take seriously - finds no credit in any rigorous historical work and it's the hallmark of pamphleteers,  armchair historians, monday morning quarterbacks, and pub brawlers. All interesting and legitimate activities but that should not be mistaken for historical research

[italwars]

I beg to disagree with my fellow countryman Italwars about his attitude on the Risorgimento and the unification of the country. While fully aware that the rosy and apologetic picture we learned in our schoolbooks was distorted, and that there was no popular surge to unify the country, the revisionist version that has become popular in the last twenty years or so - and that unfortunately he seems to take seriously - finds no credit in any rigorous historical work and it's the hallmark of pamphleteers,  armchair historians, monday morning quarterbacks, and pub brawlers. All interesting and legitimate activities but that should not be mistaken for historical research

Ehm ..sorry to disagree, this time,  with the always interesting to read and polite postings by Malto Cortese...but, here in Italy, every serious study of the Risorgimento topic..i'm talking of recent works and of an academic level..(like the official history jsut published even by our Historical Branch of the Army) above all concerning the Garibaldi intrusion in the South...is seen as a sort of Colonial invasion with consequent extermination of civilians...but i can understand that his political agenda and leftist begging for political correct endorsment cannot be avoided even in a wargame forum..
said that Emir..yes the Briganti had charisma, being a popular phenomen, with quite a few personalities..their bands could reach up to 900 guys..both foot and mounted..i'll post many more images...while i'll laugh at Malto Cortese (ahahaha) treats of sending to me his Stasi Police  of the Risorgimento

[italwars]

Briganti...not far from Picciotii uniform...teh hat was called "A la Calabrese" and was characteristic to peasant..more armed men..from Sicily to Rome..
http://www.libreriasangiorgio.it/brigantecol.jpg

this image refers to fight between same kind of Briganti VS Pontifical soldiers..circa 1830...not Risorgimento..but very useful figures to use
http://www.itimarconinocera.org/sito/menu/progetti/unita_d_italia/resist_contad_sud_IVH/page/brigantaggio/SITO/brigantaggio_canti.jpg
those are real heads of captured Briganti..the culture of Piedmontese liberators
https://www.google.it/search?q=briganti&espv=2&biw=1014&bih=586&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIpoHj5OqPyQIVgzgUCh1sQgVn#imgrc=blh-Q_tCfcSXnM%3A

agan Briganti uniforms...also women where involved..some also being Bande's leaders
http://www.abitarearoma.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/briganti.jpg

Crocco was the most iconic personality of Brigands..Borjes was a romantic Spanish Legitimist Officer sent to Italy to lead and organise Briganti bands...an account of a battle:
http://www.hostilianum.it/10-novembre-1861-la-battaglia-di-acinello/

[malto cortese]

Ehm ..sorry to disagree, this time,  with the always interesting to read and polite postings by Malto Cortese...but, here in Italy, every serious study of the Risorgimento topic..i'm talking of recent works and of an academic level..(like the official history jsut published even by our Historical Branch of the Army) above all concerning the Garibaldi intrusion in the South...is seen as a sort of Colonial invasion with consequent extermination of civilians...but i can understand that his political agenda and leftist begging for political correct endorsment cannot be avoided even in a wargame forum..
said that Emir..yes the Briganti had charisma, being a popular phenomen, with quite a few personalities..their bands could reach up to 900 guys..both foot and mounted..i'll post many more images...while i'll laugh at Malto Cortese (ahahaha) treats of sending to me his Stasi Police  of the Risorgimento

Without indulging in a personal diatribe (I have a soft spot for Italwars because of the beautiful models he crafted years ago) I would disagree with his definition of academics and their research (being one of them, I think I know what I am talking about....) and with his presentation of my own point of view as influenced by a political agenda and/or political correctness. There is no doubt that the South was to a certain extent colonized by the North: it was the only way to unify the country. Was it good? Yes, I think with all its problems I think this is still better than any of the alternatives - and I do not see this as a particularly politicized point of view. Was the repression of the banditi harsh and cruel? Yes, but what was the alternative? Any nostalgic depiction of the Borbonic south as an idyllic place such as the one you can see in the awful movie by Martone is just a blatant lie. So who is presenting a politicized version of history here ;-) ?

The Stasi office just left after I dispatched him to keep an eye on you. Watch out

[gringo]

Some great posts and interesting discussion there chaps
will throw in my pennys worth later as im only just back from
warfare!

cheers
Ged
www.gringo40s.com
www.gringo40s.blogspot.com